News Release Archive

Draft EA Available - Poso Creek Temporary Section 215 Water and Ground-Water Banking at Semitropic Water Storage District

Media Contact: Jeffrey McCracken, 916-978-5100, 05/12/2006 18:04

For Release: May 12, 2006

The Bureau of Reclamation announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Poso Creek, Limited Liability Company Temporary Water Service Contract and Ground-water Banking of Section 215 Water at Semitropic Water Storage District (Semitropic).

Reclamation proposes to execute and implement a 1-year temporary water service contract pursuant to Section 215 of the Reclamation Reform Act (RRA) of 1982 (Public Law 97-293) with Poso Creek during the 2006 contract year for up to 15,000 acre-feet of water. Reclamation further proposes to approve the delivery of the Section 215 water to Semitropic for storage on behalf of Poso Creek.

Reclamation anticipates Section 215 water will be available through at least July 2006, so delivery of up to 15,000 acre-feet of water to Semitropic will take place before that time. The banked water will ultimately be recovered (minus 10 percent losses) and delivered via exchange to Poso Creek lands within the Westlands Water District during the next water supply shortage. The return delivery of the banked ground-water assets will be recovered by contract year 2016. Under Section 215 of the RRA, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to contract for temporary supplies of water resulting from an unusually large water supply, not otherwise storable for project purposes.

The Draft EA is available for a 15-day public review and comment period and is available online at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=2210. Please send written comments to Ms. Laura Myers, Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721, by May 26, 2006. Comments may also be faxed to Ms. Myers at 559-487-5397, or e-mailed to lmyers@mp.usbr.gov. For additional information or to request a copy of the Draft EA, please contact Ms. Myers at 559-487-5179, TDD 559-487-5933. Copies of the Draft EA may also be viewed at Reclamation's Fresno office, 1243 N Street.

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Relevant Link:

Draft EA